The Philippines Solidarity Network of Aotearoa (PSNA) congratulates you on reaching your 40th anniversary. That is a remarkable achievement and a beacon of hope for the long suffering Filipino people.

PSNA shares your aim of a Philippines that is characterised by peace and justice, with the Philippine people enjoying the same rights to life, land, personal safety, health, freedom, dignity, food, work, education, prosperity and happiness that people of other countries take for granted. We know that this involves a protracted struggle but no one said it would be easy.

We note your suggestion re donations for the Mindanao disaster victims. PSNA has already conducted an appeal in New Zealand and sent the proceeds to Mindanao earlier this year (we also ran an appeal last year for victims of the Metro Manila floods).

And PSNA sends a special greeting to our good friends Luis and Coni whom we hosted and toured through New Zealand in 2010. You two put a human face to the NDF for all those whom you met here.